I *love* Brad Gilbert, love his analysis, love his nicknames, loved that he picked MoMo to win the AO way back in '06 (even if it was kind of an unsatisfying victory at the end, from MoMo's and her fan's perpsectives). He's very attractive too, especially for an "older" guy ;)

Great read, Bobby, and please give my love to BG!!! :)

Del Pony, I love your love for Brad Gilbert. Yeah, he seems like a good guy, someone you could have a beer with, you know?

Brad Gibert is the 2nd best thing in tennis.

One vote for Brad...one vote against. (So far.)

Can't stand him...at least the Beeeg who shows up on TV. Of course, he is so often paired with the dreadful Chris 'Foul'er, that he may be contaminated by the overflow of 'Foul'er's aggressive brand of ignorance.

Don' think I would enjoy a beer with him either. I will wait for Courier or, better yet, Cliff Drysdale. Or even BETTER, Fred Stolle. THAT would be fun.

Bobby C- Enjoying your work from Memphis...thought bouquet catching was all in the wrist. Thanks to Dushevina, I know better. Lol.

I've always liked BG's commentary, his enthusiasm comes through. And I still maintain that Andy Roddick's career trajectory would have been different had he stuck it out with BG.

Am I the only one who thinks that the picture of Azarenka on the Tennis home page bears a passing resemblance to Justine Henin? Something about smile.

Oh, and for anyone who missed it from the last thread, let's hope none of THESE come into Dubai while the tournament is under way...

http://gulfnews.com/gntv/news/sandstorm-hits-dubai-1.986462

Sunday Order of Play

ATP: Buenos Aires at 2 PM - David Ferrer vs Nicolas Almagro
ATP: Memphis at 4 PM - Jurgen Melzer vs Milos Raonic
WTA: Monterrey at 6 PM - Alexandra Cadantu vs Timea Babos

izidane - though I don't like BEEG as a commentator, I agree with you that, in the long run, Andy R might have been better served by sticking with Brad. I think Brad IS a good coach and has a genuine understanding of playing to your strengths as well as the other guy's weaknesses.

izidane, thanks! Dushevina was pretty funny about that bouquet. I thought for a second she'd give me a serious answer to that light question, but she came up with that... then burst out laughing.

CL, I like what you said below. Very true. I take it you read 'Winning Ugly'?

"I think Brad IS a good coach and has a genuine understanding of playing to your strengths as well as the other guy's weaknesses."

Bobby C - I confess that I have not. I am perfectly capable of winning or losing ugly all on my own...I don't need no book learning'!! ;-))

But, it is something when Brad is in decent commentary mode he often alludes to. And I think it is something he really impressed on AA during their time together as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUvvX1SwQTw

Gotta give some love to my Bay Area neighbor BG, despite the file photo here of the shades (had forgotten those!). I blame Chris Berman and ESPN generally for the nicknames thing, frankly, and to the extent that Chris Fowler knows anything about elitte tennis he owes most of his education to Brad, I suspect. I've been sorry to see ESPN relegate BG to sideline reporter lately in favor of PMac in the booth, whose recurrent verbal tic, "He could have done more with that ball, [insert player's name here at the end of the sentence that should have been the simple subject at the start!} is much more annoying than BG's occasional grammatical slip-ups or confusions of number v amount, etc. BG carries on the tradition of Cliffie and Fred Stolle and Mary Carillo in a way that none of the current dreadful crop of former player commentators comes close to doing. There's no substitute for knowing the game and being honest enough to call it the way he sees it.

CL- Their parting pissed me off as a fan. I've been hoping they'd make up, but that seems unlikely.

Btw I think BG and Cahill are at their best when they are court side during matches, one of the better decisions ESPN ever made imo. They have the good eye to catch nuances that don't translate as well on tv. Cahill is better in the booth while BG gets too excited sometimes ....the 47 year love affair with tennis just takes over, I suppose:)

I like both Brad and Chris Fowler,the latter because he was the only one that would Mary Carillo when she criticized my 2 babies(Serena and Venus) that she always try to put down

I understand that a lot of Roger fans,ehem,clears throat,ehem, do not like him I understand,I'm sure there is something he did to justify their dislike of him...

As for Brad I also like that he's goofy with comments,also friendly with most players,fistpumping ans such...

so I guess 2-1 CL on Brad,lol:)

Aube - I will forgive you your BEEG flove, because of your success at garnering at least a LITTLE snow for we here in the Northeast. There MIGHT be enough to X-country ski on, so I am going out for a test spin.

later...

From the last Thread:

"In my opinion Nole even his 2011 great year still he has to show if he can keep it longer.
All players know that they have to improve year by year like Nole has done , mentally and physically and that is exactly what they are doing. I think 1012 is gonna to be a very interesting year and a furious competition"

Well,

Novak just beat Nadal at the Aussie Open a month ago in a 5-Set Thriller.

Saying that he can't keep it up is crap IMO.

I'm in the happy position to say that I don't like or dislike Brad Gilbert because I don't have to listen to his commentary. EVER. I like what he writes though. Sometimes.

Aube,
Do you need medicines for your throat? As your moniker suggests:
"Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps!"
If Roger could only speak Swiss-German, lots of misunderstandings would have been avoided. :)

Amazing sand storm, CL. I hope it's over soon.

awwwwwwwwwwwwww,CL I'll pray for some more snow then!enjoy it to the max dear!

Thanks, CL. I remember Agassi commentating that USO and he was very good but... he didn't stop talking either. When there is play on court, zip it!

***waves to zenggi***

Isn't it odd that though both Roger and Llodra are tour veterans, i.e, 'geezers' that they have only played once?

Really off now...

CL,
Enjoy your x-c walk. I wouldn't. Yes, what are the odds of Roger and Michael playing for the second time with all their mileage? I think the draws have been rigged all these past years. :)

What a tournament Dubai is man. All those players packed up in the draw not big like Masters or major is going to be so much fun.

In the previous years not all of them came. Federer missed couple of those, Murray too, Delpo did not play, Tsonga. But Nadal has stopped coming and Roddick

"Don' think I would enjoy a beer with him either. I will wait for Courier or, better yet, Cliff Drysdale. Or even BETTER, Fred Stolle. THAT would be fun."
------------

I have had the pleasure of drinking whiskey (not beer) with both Cliff and Fred, in Newport, RI, 20 years ago. It was hysterical. They were covering a DC tie for ESPN2 and were frantic to find that the catering crew had cleaned up the bar too soon. There was beer available, but they were looking for brown liquor. I found it for them.

I'm surprised that it's Almagro up an early break.

I've always been a fan of Brad Gilbert. I think that he's probably the best tennis coach around, and I won't repeat for the umpteenth time what I've said I would do with may money if my grandson (or any other yongster inmy family) showed great tennis talent and needed the services of a an excellent coach. :) I as shocked and disappointed when thre players whom I like very much -- Agassi, Roddick, and Murray -- ended their relationships with him. Dumb, I thought -- and still think.

I also enjoy his TV commentary which is incisive and straightforard as well as light-hearted and even hilarious at times -- a good combination IMHO.

On a different note, someone here at TW (it may have been Pete) once said that if you were wont to grade people on the way their kids seem to have been brought up, Brad would have to get an A plus. I don't know Brad's children, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were true.

I've been looking at the TV coverage leading up to (and now the start of) the Accenture golf match play final in which Rory McIlroy is battling Hunter Mahan. If Rory wins, he will become #1 in golf. There was quite a bit of talk by the commies about his relationship with tennis's former #1. Nice to hear totally complimentary talk about Caroline, for a change.

Aube- Hi.
Good luck to your fave in the elections and I hope it all ends peacefully. Watched video of Wade being booed at the polls.
Btw, they are literally begging for snow in Tahoe, so do your thing my dear:)

couldn't watch all of it as i was meeting friends earlier, but what i saw of almagro-wawrinka was rather fab tennis i thought.

nico was in lovely form in oz already and seems on his usual golden swing run now. but to keep the dream of a career year a bit more real it would be nice to get a first win over ferru.

0-8 in h2h, but some of them were real corkers.

ferru destroyed nalbandian (says the scores, i didn't see it) so should be in fine from too.

nico up a break in the first set. looking good so far.

Ruth, I don't understand how it was "dumb" for Agassi to part ways with Gilbert, when Agassi was 32 at the time they finally split and he had already performed one miracle comeback at 29.

Roddick and Murray, on the other hand - well, in Murray's case, I thought it was Brad who jumped ship. But I could be wrong.

tight start to the game, but nico survives 15-40 with the help of some big serves. gets the first set, 6-4.

from the true claycourters he might be the one with the best serve.
reminds me a bit of kuerten in that regard. though he doesn't have quite the same happy-go-lucky vibe going as guga jejeje.

Ruth, very interesting -- and nice -- what you heard about his kids. I can believe that. Liked your comments on Woz too. Hope you're well!

Count me in as one who always liked Brad as a coach and commentator and it was a great pity that Andy Murray didn't stick with him. Funnily enough, I read that the reason Murray parted with him was because "Brad had very expensive taste in food." Of course, that could have been invented by the British press and I'm not one to believe everything written by them !

Just watched the end of the second set between Ferrer and Almagro. Seems to be a fairly decent match. They're going into a third and deciding set now.

tina - thanks for the Cliffie/Fred story...I can so see that. lol.

Anyone with a stream for Nico/Ferruu...or is it all over over there?

(BTW - if this turns out to be a double post...find the typo! ;-))

WGCC-Accenture Match Play:

Hunter Mahan leads Rory McIIroy 1 up through 6 Holes.

ferru takes the 2nd set 6-3.
bit too sloppy from nico, especially on the FH. but it's difficult vs ferru - do too much and you get mauled, do not enough and you get mauled. do exactly the right thing and you might get mauled anyway.

great stuff right there.

CL,
http://www.lshunter.tv/tennis-live-streaming-video.html

I REALLY wish someone (perhaps his son, a recent UCB grad) would teach Brad about ADVERBS. He must be paid a ton. Could he not learn that "She plays good" or "The court is playing slow" is lousy English?

Gloria (Berkeley)

"I've been looking at the TV coverage leading up to (and now the start of) the Accenture golf match play final in which Rory McIlroy is battling Hunter Mahan. If Rory wins, he will become #1 in golf. There was quite a bit of talk by the commies about his relationship with tennis's former #1. Nice to hear totally complimentary talk about Caroline, for a change"

Ruth,
Did Caroline make the trip to the USA to watch him?

TennisFed, that was just my opinion. I know that Nole beat Rafa in the AO and it was a very tie match. If Nole can keep that level a couple of years more then I will change my mind and I wiil tip my hat, meanwhile I will keep the same thought

nico destroys his racket. things have slipped away from him rather quickly. pity.

I can't watch the match, does someone can tell me what is gonna on with Ferru/Almagro? I wouldn't be surprised if Almagro would beat Ferru, he's playing pretty good lately

Carol,

I think David is serving for the match.

Bismark, that sounds like Nico is losing lol

David wins ! Congrats to him ... commies to Nico.

What were the odds in taking on a coach named Gilbert and a
conditioning specialist named Gilberto simultaneously?

I've found Gilbert is "teachable" via Twitter. I heard one mispronunciation of Troicki too many last Spring, sent BG a tweet, and he got it right after that.

Nice win for Ferru!

Thanks Lynne , it seems like Ferru will win at the end? good for him!
Are you gonna to watch the Oscars tonite? all the predictions goes to "The Artist", have you see that movie?

big props to ferru. 4-6 6-3 6-2.
has given his all over the last few years to be the best possible ferrer he could ever be tennistically. so impressive.

nico looked a bit empty towards the end, difficult to say whether it was more the legs or the head or what. good start today, couldn't keep it up but showed some of his gorgeous game anyway.
has to dust the clay off his shoulders and just try again. maybe 10th time will be the charm vs ferru. (as early as in acapulco?) ;)

Bismarck - thanks for the link...got there too late, alas.

Now have Tuna Melzer and Milos on my screen.

Oscars?

What do we think..is Billy a little TOO retro?

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/oscars/billy-crystal-best-oscar-moments-211838049.html

The Commies Skinner & Adler are right...

As good as Isners Serve Raonics is much better and effective because of his variety...

Caroline tweeted a couple of hours ago that she just had coffee at the Café de Paris with Patrik and their mom. I'm pretty sure she's in Monaco.

just popping in to say.,....
woooo whooooo
Superstar breaks!

Superstar has lost only 8 points on serve in the first set and he takes the first set

thanks izidane,I was playing maid down here and also cooking some "aubergines farcies" to kind of match the intensity of the Awards at dinner time tonight,ha

yes I'm constantly skyping with senegalese community and in the mean time talking with friends and family back home,I just would like him to go if that's what the people want and said in the election,they're probably all the same(african leaders thieves and corrupted men) but we do not need any war or killing or such things in an already very "have no"t country,just sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I will also send the snow your way!inch Allah!

zenggi,haha "taquine, taquine!"I'll take cherry cough drops,the premium type

"Ruth, I don't understand how it was "dumb" for Agassi to part ways with Gilbert, when Agassi was 32 at the time they finally split and he had already performed one miracle comeback at 29."

tina: You're right. You can probably tell from the 43 typos in my comment @2:34 that I was writing in a hurry. I was rushing off to spend 2 exciting hours reading and discussing documents and other junk related to the POSSIBLE sale of my home in Philly.

That's my excuse for not adding, as I really wanted to, my feeling that, in Agassi's case, I've often thought that Agassi had probably taken/gained all that he could from Brad when they decided to part ways. So, strike Andre from my "dumb" comment. :)

One of the things that I loved seeing in Agassi's Open was that, in spite of all the gossip about how Steffi had forced Andre to fire Brad because she couldn't stand him etc etc, Brad is one of the few persons about whom Andre is TOTALLY complimentary in the book.

Fernando says that BG sensationalizes the obvious, is prone to hyperbole and does not proffer meaningful analysts like Cahill or Aria. His success as a commentator is unfortunately based on the appeal to the lowest common denominator.

I am Fernando @vivafernando

um, maybe Tuna Melzer should ALWAYS play with a broken toe?

I hated Brad Gilbert when he first showed up on ESPN, but he's grown on me and I think his commentating skills are improving. You have to appreciate his enthusiasm.

Or, maybe not.

Nice comeback by Milos.

Catching up... (as Rory is trying to do, 2 down, but running out of holes)

MA: No, Caro is not in the USA or certainly not at the tournament today.

Bobby: Yes, I thought that was very nice to hear about Brad as Dad and about Caro's encouraging her guy to be more serious about fitness. I'm doing OK, finally stopped pouting about being back in the cold (even the mild Atlanta cold) after my long escape to the Caribbean.

I'm enjoying your posts from Memphis. I just told a friend that, with Memphis just a 5-hour drive from Atlanta, I should think about going to the tourney there next year -- and visiing Gracelend, too, of course. :)

And a nice comeback by Melzer as well...on serve in the second set. Jurgen seems to be having some success throwing Milos off his serve rhythm by showing lots of different looks as he sets to receive serve. Also drawing Milos forward working as well.

Carol amiga,did you see that Ferru won?congrats and commies to Almagro

I'm like a "loque humaine",so sleepy and tired and it's not even 8PM yet,I should probably go nap but how do you do that with these diablotins?

Skinner and Adler never shut up

Ugh Raonic really choked away that tiebreak. Way too impatient with the FH.

SUPERSTAR!!!!! straight sets!!!

manixdk,

You better be quiet not Skinner & Adler.

Northernboy- I dunno..choked may be a bit harsh. Melzer was really playing terrific tennis all week, (broken toe or not), and he really seemed able to rattle Milos on his serve just by changing his receive position. Sort of wily veteran stuff. I do think that after two tight losses, Milos is definitely going to put Memphis on his 'must have' list.

And really happy for Jurgen. He was absolutely cracking his groundies off both sides. Serving well and going for his shots. Great win for him.

Go Geezers!!

Caro Fans are always nonsense Talkers or Trash Talkers.

Tennis Fed

"Caro Fans are always nonsense Talkers or Trash Talkers."

Huh??????!!!!!

Congratulations to Melzer on winning Memphis! He played a great match.

Raonic the runner-up for the second year in a row. He has had two good weeks, but he has to feel disappointed now.

Timea's FH at its worst at the start of Monterrey final, at 2-1 for Cadantu, on serve, 7 out of 8 points she won came off Babos' FH errors.

Aube, I didn't because I wasn't at home (now I am) but I know that he won and I'm glad for him:-)
I'm ready for the "double duty", Oscars and the All Stars in Orlando. Don't take a nap now, you are gonna to miss all the Red Carpet Show lol
By the way, where is AM?
And of course "Peace in Senegal, please" yeah!!

After some more of the same (at one point we had Cadantu's pts won thanks to Timea's FH errors at 10 and Cadantu's total points won at 11), Timea hits 2 FH winners out of nowhere and gets Cadantu so disoriented she doubles and offers 2 more UEs to get broken.

Babos holding comfortably courtesy of big serving. Resorting to throwing junk off the FH for the most part to stay in the point unless she gets ages to set up, in which case she'll go for it (at the backdrop of collective holding of breath).

Frankly, I'm not sure how she gets away with it at this level, figured she took care of it somewhat since I've last seen her play seeing her results lately but, nope, it still makes you weep for Caro's. Cadantu not going there enough, IMO.

Babos serves out the first set, 6-4. Don't think Cadantu reached double digits in points won on Babos' serve in the set.

One more set and a teenager(Timea Babos) would have won an event on the Latin America swing for the 2nd week in a row. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino won Bogota last week.

Waiting on Acapulco's OOP but World Number 1 is scheduled to play tomorrow at 10 AM in Dubai

Mister L - enjoyed your contribution to the debate on the previous thread

And just as Babos was getting increasingly annoyed at inability to break through in this second set, Cadantu cracks - 2 DFs, few UEs and Babos buckling down, cleaning it up a little and she's serving for it. Some more monster serves to close it out.

Don't think many would have picked her as the first player from her gen to win a title, but there you have it. Congrats

Phewwwwwwwwwwww,carol I made it but I'm kind of torn too,why does the All Star NBA games have to be concumittant to the Awards,hum?

Anyway I don't think beauty will run second to action so NBA to the DVR...

Mister L, if you are around here, more about Nole's brother
Aparentely Nole said that he would play in Dubai with the condition that his brother plays too. The Organitation had promised a WC to Jaziri, 104 ATP Ranking but under those circumstances they has decided to give the " honor" to Dojokovic .
I don't know if you understand Spanish but it's the only link I've found it

http://www.marca.com/blogs/tie-break/2012/02/26/nole-intima-con-roger-pero-se-enemista.html

Aube, I'm watching the TV with four eyes LOL

You're genius amiga lend me one so I have three,lol!

LOL mon amie!

Wow, Brad Pitt looks very young, what he has done?:-)

I've heard it's coming back the short hair and a little bit curly, hmmm, I like it

The unimitable Angelina Jolie!

ok one criticism from me,women stop throwing all your hair on the side, do not like it!

Pttf, so many commercials on both Channels

Best line so far....Zach Gawhocanspellhislastname...

Dip - "What are you wearing?"

Zach - Geranimals...

Apparently, w/out a martini, they are known as gAranimals.

wahahaha CL that is something...

Now CL what has the Martini drink got to do with it,just what CL?:)

Well, it seem that All Star is just an "exhibition and fun game" so back to the Oscars.......

Carol like the Ivory Coast people say between Awards and All Star "y a pas photo",it means un-comparable...

Tom Hanks is so cool. :)

Carol, agreed. The all-star game is quite a bore. :)

See now I should have seen HUGO because I don't understand back to back oscars grab,lol!

Yeah Aube, you are right!
Clooney has said that the Oscar winner will talk in French (The Artist actor is French) lol

Aube- Hugo is lovely. If you can, try to see it in 3-D.

Telling you Carol amiga,kind a disappointed at my pull all Th Artist so far,but it ain't over yet till Chris Rock sings,hahahahah

I will CL now that's raking all this sure made me curious my dear!probabbly next week!

I thought Hugo was a kids film. Obviously, I was wrong. :)

Miranda Lambert just had her publicist arrange an arrest for Chris Brown.

Not a bad intro by Billy.